Citrus and macadamia marriage
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
280gms unsalted butter, softened
280gms golden caster sugar
5 large eggs
280gms self-raising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
1 large orange, zested
1/2 cup unsalted macadamias, finely chopped
Orange liqueur icing
125gms unsalted butter, softened
350gms, cream cheese
250gms icing sugar, sifted
1 orange, zested
1 tablespoon orange juice
Candied orange peel
2 oranges
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup caster sugar
Assembly & decoration
2 tablespoons Cointreau
1 1/4 cups macadamias, roasted and finely chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 160° C fan forced. Grease and line 2 x 22cm cake tins.
Place the butter and caster sugar in an electric mixer and beat on high until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, beating well in between. Fold through the flour and baking powder. Divide between two bowls. Fold through the zest to half the mixture and macadamias to the other half.
Place the orange mixture in one lined cake tin and the macadamia mixture in the other and smooth the surfaces of each. Cook on the middle oven shelf for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To make the icing, beat the butter until very soft, add the cream cheese and the icing sugar and beat until smooth. Finally, add the orange zest and juice and beat until smooth.
To make the candied orange peel, cut the peel off the oranges in long strips using a vegetable peeler or a small sharp knife. Remove any white pith on the peel then slice into thin strips.
Combine the water and sugar in a medium sized saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange peel and cook until the peel has softened and the syrup thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove the peel from the syrup and place onto non-stick baking paper to cool.
When the cakes have cooled, cut each into half horizontally. Place a layer of macadamia sponge on a plate and spread with icing. Place a layer of orange sponge on this and sprinkle with half the Cointreau. Spread more icing and continue layering, finishing with orange sponge. Spread the rest of the icing over the top and sides. Decorate the sides with the macadamias and decorate the top with strips of candied peel.
